[StrongED] Re: Colours Element names

[Martin <list01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 02 Apr in article <3c2074e256.fjgraute@xxxxxxxxx>,
   Fred Graute <fjgraute@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> In message <56e261cdb7list01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>           Martin <list01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> > Using v4.70a12...
> > 
> > In a given mode (eg BasAsm) if I open Mode Choices for that mode, and
> > go to Colours, the Element menu has a long list of items with
> > cryptic, though descriptive, names.

> As an aside here, if the names are too cryptic then run Help. When the
> pointer is over an entry in the Elements menu a few of the 'words'
> defined in that group will be listed.

I confess I had not tried that ... and yes that gives more information.
And I note that the help for Group entries shows the items in the
SyntaxWords definition (or at least the first few).

> > If I copy that mode directory from !StrongEd.Defaults.Modes to
> > !StrEd.cfg.UserPrefs.Modes with a different name (eg BasAsmPrt) then
> > that new mode becomes visible in a list of modes.
> > 
> > However, when I open Mode Choices for that new mode, the Elements menu
> > now consists of some descriptive names, then a long list of Group 1 -
> > Group 27 which is not very descriptive at all!

> If you've copied the entire mode directory from Defaults to UserPrefs
> then the groups should retain their names...
>  
> > How can I get the descriptions back?

> ...as the names are defined in <Mode$Dir>.Resources.UK.Messages (just
> tried this to make sure). Check that the Messages file is there and if
> not copy it over.

No, I wrongly assumed that Messages were applicable to the Mode itself,
not the settings. After copying that as well, the menu descriptions do
return.

> Another tip: if there are no descriptions for syntax groups (not all
> modes have them) then turn on the option: 'Global choices -> Misc ->
> Colours section in mode choices follows cursor'.

> When this option is on the Colours section will automatically select the
> element that corresponds with where the cursor is.

Indeed it does. Another useful tip.

> > This is all because of the problems I have found with printing from
> > StrongEd, as I believe the only way to use a sensible colour scheme
> > and font size is to create another Mode and adjust the colour
> > settings - ie a smaller font and a white background with the light
> > colours changed to darker ones. Unless anyone knows an easier way...

> Assuming you only use one of the colour schemes then you could set up
> the other one for printing. If you use the scheme ColoursStd (white
> background) then you could set up ColoursAlt for printing.

> The downside is that you'd have to change the colour scheme before
> printing (and back after), same for the outline font settings. Colour
> scheme is changed via: 'Global choices -> Display -> Use alternative
> colour scheme'.

I use ColoursAlt for on-screen, and I did experiment with using the other
for printing - but I abandoned it when I realised it was a Global choice
that affected all open windows. I only want to affect (and print) one
window).

> The problem of printing colours is something I've been aware of for
> quite some time but I have yet to find a solution that integrates nicely
> with the rest of StrongED. Suggestions welcome!

As yet I have no easy suggestion to make, except to say that it is the
light colours which are causing me the most grief to set up. Longer term
I suspect that my duplication of several modes just for printing so I can
change a few settings will cause problems when the default modes are
updated in some way ... which I will not see because of my settings. It
would be nice if there could be provision for a small number of overrides
to specific settings which were only used when printing. I can see that a
nice user interface to maintain them would not be easy, but even if a
'Printing' file in a Mode directory had to be manually maintained it
would perhaps be easier overall.

Thanks
Martin

-- 
Martin Avison      using a British Iyonix running RISC OS 5 
                   and the Pluto mail and newsreader

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